Does 3D printing have a place in luxury?

Coperni, a brand now synonymous with runway tech spectacles, unveiled its latest breakthrough at its fairytale-inspired Spring 2025 Paris show last Tuesday: a 3D-printed handbag. The Ariel Swipe Bag, developed in collaboration with Boston-based manufacturing company Rapid Liquid Print, uses a recyclable silicone material crafted through a gravity-free 3D printing process within a water-based gel. A fine needle injects silicone into the gel to form Coperni’s iconic Swipe Bag silhouette. Once the printing is complete, the bag is ready for immediate use. The Swipe Bag has become something of a canvas for Coperni’s innovation. For Fall 2024, co-founders Sébastien Meyer and Arnaud Vaillant collaborated with Nasa to produce a version made from the agency’s silica aerogel – an ultra-light material known as the lightest solid on Earth, typically used to capture stardust. Weighing just 33 grams, the bag, designed to hold only the lightest of contents, resembles a floating cloud. Coperni isn’t alone in exploring the potential of 3D printing. Vienna-based brand Published By has gained attention for its sculptural “it” bags made using similar techniques. Though 3D printing can be costly and has uncertain returns, Published By’s commitment to innovation appears to be paying off; sales are set to double year-on-year for 2024, according to Vogue Business, with revenues expected to exceed 1 million euros ($1.1 million). Rather than chasing seasonal trends, Published By centers its strategy on developing core styles designed for longevity. It’s a goal achieved through an injection molding technique, which enables the same silhouettes to be reused time and time again. Chinese designer Kay Kwok, a participant in the Syky Collective digital fashion incubator, is also using 3D printing for his avant-garde creations, already endorsed by celebrities like Beyoncé and Björk. Next-gen sneaker labels such as Chalhoub Group’s Sol3mates and Zellerfeld are similarly integrating 3D printing into their production processes, while rising athleisure brand On made headlines with its robot-powered, spray-on shoe debut during the Paris Olympics, garnering widespread media attention for its breakthrough. Though 3D printing is often dismissed as a passing gimmick, the financial potential is real. In 2021, market research firm SmarTech Analysis reported the sector had generated $10.6 billion in revenue, excluding that from hardware maintenance and post-processing. The firm projects that additive manufacturing (the construction of a three-dimensional object from a CAD model, or a digital 3D model) will grow to over $50 billion by 2030. However, the challenge for 3D printing lies in its limitations for mass production, making it ideal for small-batch manufacturing. This duality presents both an opportunity and a drawback for luxury brands; while it aligns with the industry’s focus on hyper-exclusive, limited-edition pieces, it restricts the ability to commercialize products on a larger scale – a direction luxury brands have increasingly pursued over the past decade. Brands like Coperni and Published By have built their reputation by taking a gamble on cutting-edge innovations like 3D printing. But whether the technology will gain traction among luxury heavyweights remains uncertain. Even if it does, the question is whether 3D printing will prove more than just a flash in the pan in an industry known for its rapid adoption – and abandonment – of the latest tech buzzwords.

Does 3D printing have a place in luxury?

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Published October 06, 2024

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Does 3D printing have a place in luxury?